The Badger's Snake
by SirEvy
Summary: He was a Muggle-born Hufflepuff, I was a Pure-blood Slytherin. He was a badger and I was a snake. Logic told us we could never be together. But, then again, love is never logical.
1. Prologue

_A/N: So, I was looking through all the shit I have saved in my USB-and trust me, it's a lot-and I found this. It's something I had been working on a while ago-three months to be exact-but I never got around to posting it. I have no idea why I do this to myself, when I'm in the starting phases of my first-ever fanfic and I still haven't even finished half my homework, but , well, here you go. I have a few chapters already, so if there is interest in this story, I'll make sure to post them up soon. _

_Disclaimer: Read closely, because this is the only time I'm going to add one of these: **I do not own Harry Potter.** _

_Now that I've made that clear, happy reading!_

* * *

**Prologue**

_Have I made some horrible mistakes?_

I lie wide-awake in bed, with my husband sleeping peacefully beside me, listening to the silence of the night: to the soft hooting of an owl soaring overhead, to the faint chirping of crickets. For several nights, I've had trouble sleeping. It is not going to bed that is the problem; I feel all the normal stages of weariness, the lack of focus that becomes more pronounced as the clock strikes closer to twelve. It is my thoughts that keep me awake, late at night.

I allow my mind to wander briefly to my daughter, but I know that Remus will never allow anything to happen to her, so I cannot blame my insomnia on her.

What is keeping me awake, even though I would never admit it aloud, is the thought of my sisters. I wonder if they are all right, wherever they are. Because despite everything Bellatrix and Narcissa have done throughout the years, they are my sisters, the missing parts to my whole.

My childhood, as I like to think, was magical and golden; it was definitely a much preferable time than the one in which we are now, where there is chaos and death and destruction. We used to wander around the gardens of our childhood home, Bellatrix, Narcissa and I, escaping from the tutors that were supposed to be preparing us for Hogwarts. There we let our imagination run wild, pretending we were princesses and knights, warriors of distant lands going off to war, adventurers exploring new and uncharted territories. It was more out of our need to escape our crude reality than anything else; we wanted to pretend, if at least for a moment, that we were somewhere other than trapped within the cold walls of the Black Manor, where the absence of our Father and blatant indifference of our Mother were a common occurrence.

I remember the scowling faces of the house-elves that tended to us, while our Mother indulged herself in having tea with the other elite women and our Father escaped to London for days at a time, attending to his business. I remember being punished for asking impertinent questions, the kind only small children have the courage to ask.

By no means am I saying that my parents were bad parents. Perhaps they were not perfect, but they were as good as they knew how to be, considering the way in which they had been brought up. I believe that my mother cared for us in the only way she knew how and I do not blame her for it, and neither do I blame my father. It was just the way things were done back then. They weren't ones to show much affection, but I do believe they loved us, in the only way they knew how.

Early in my marriage, when I expressed these thoughts to my husband, he said nothing, merely gave me an indulgent smile as he pressed a soft kiss to my temple. I know he thinks that I've overlooked all the bad things for the good, that I cannot see what my sisters have become. But I can and I do. What Ted doesn't realise, having had two loving parents and a close-knit family, is that when a child grows up in an environment much like the one in which I grew up, they cling to anyone that holds the same innocence as they do. In my case, it was my sisters.

My sisters and I are all close to age, only a year apart, and were rather close back then, closer than three sisters that are as different as day and night can be, brought together by the need to escape our crude reality. I know that, had our circumstances been different, my sisters and I might never have been as close as we once were.

When I think of them, I remember them just as they were in my childhood, before we were torn apart by war and the choices we've made, before we allowed ourselves to be changed by politics and men, before we were led down different paths.

I remember Bellatrix, with her mischievous smile and dark black eyes full of possibilities and magic, long before they lost their glow and turned into a deep abysm of insanity. Even then, she was quite beautiful and charming, something she used well to her advantage. She was my wild side, the one who talked me into doing things that would eventually lead us to trouble. She has always been confident, outspoken and every bit of insolent as I have heard endless people claim her to be. She has always had the ability to draw sheer numbers of followers to her, by the deep pull of her outgoing personality. There was nothing Bella would not do and telling her she could not only made her more determined to do it. To her, the world was full of possibilities and they were all hers for the taking. Even then, she had a certain thirst for power, as well as knowledge, and a brilliant mind, which, although I did not see it then, can easily be drawn into darkness by the sheer power of wanting _more_.

Bella and I look remarkably alike, a curse and a blessing all in itself. A blessing because whenever I miss my sister, all I have to do is look in the mirror and she is right there. And I do miss her, sometimes; I can't deny it. After all, she is my sister. But, as I said, it can be a curse as well, because whenever I see myself, I see her and I remember all the horrible things Bella has done throughout the years. I wonder, had things been different, would I have turned out like Bella? Had I not found solace in my books, that allowed me to broaden my mind, would I have also become a cold-blooded murderer? I like to lie to myself, sometimes, that no, because, even though Bella and I are similar in looks, we are very different from one another. I like to think that I was the balance Bella needed, her voice of reason although, being the middle child, she could easily manipulate me into doing things the way she wanted. By no means was I quiet, but I've always preferred to listen and observe rather than to make my opinions known.

Narcissa, being the youngest, was the most innocent of us all. She did as she was told, never asking such impertinent questions as I did, nor presenting any of Bella's boldness. She was the one you could always count on to be polite and educated and elegant in the company of others—'a perfect example of how a lady of society should act', my mother would always say. Even then, she was breathtakingly lovely, with her blond curls and crystalline blue eyes and delicately pale face, something she has always known and learned to use to her advantage. Countless men have made the mistake to underestimate my sister because of her beauty and this is, I believe, what has allowed her to continue being strong, despite her world falling apart around her.

If I think about it—and believe me, I have—I can pinpoint exactly the moment when we all started drifting apart, when these small cracks that would soon turn into deep holes that would separate us all started forming. For me, it was when a certain fourth-year Muggle-born Hufflepuff, with stunning blue eyes and an overly confident personality pulled me under the mistletoe and gave me the kiss that would cause me to question everything I believed I stood for.

For Bellatrix, it was when a then-handsome man with indescribably cold eyes stared into her defiant eyes as he tilted her chin up with a long, white finger and said nothing, just gave her a smile that would have sent shivers down anybody's spine, but in Bella seemed to release the monster she had been trying to hold back.

For Narcissa, it was when an arrogantly confident, handsome, blond boy with stunning grey eyes looked into hers and gave her a smile that held, at least for her, promises and perfection. Despite his cold appearance and everything that has come between them, I believe Lucius has always loved my sister and she has always loved him.

Sometimes, I wonder, had I tried harder, would we have drifted apart? Would Bellatrix have become the cold-blooded murderer she is now?

I only have to look back to know that it was inevitable. Because, as I have learned throughout my life, some things are just meant to happen.


	2. Chapter 1

_**A/N:** Since I already have this Chapter ready, here you go. Also, I'm not sure whether or not the Chapter was indeed posted, so I deleted it and posted it up again. So if you have two emails, ignore the first one. If not, then ignore this._

_Anyway, it's a short chapter, but they'll get longer, I promise. This one is just like a sort of working ground for subsequent chapters. You'll see what I mean when we get on with the actual story. _

* * *

**Chapter 1**

In 1964, the summer before Bella left to Hogwarts, my mother mistook Darius Nott for a girl. We had been allowed the luxury to accompany her to Diagon Alley, to purchase everything Bella would need for her upcoming first-year. She had received her letter five days prior and, after much insistence, Mother had finally given in and agreed to take her that morning and had allowed us to accompany them as well. Because we rarely ever ventured outside the walls of the Black Manor, Narcissa and I saw it for what it was, a special treat, and promised to be on our best behaviour.

We were walking along the busy streets of Diagon Alley, toward Ollivanders where Bella was to purchase her wand, when a rich feminine voice spoke from behind us. Mother stopped and turned to acknowledge the shockingly lovely woman who had spoken.

"Mrs Black, how good to see you!" the woman said, giving Mother a delicate smile and I instantly recognised her as being Clementine Nott, whom I had seen only passingly during one of the gatherings my parents' hosted every so often. As far as I know, my mother and Mrs Nott were not close friends, although they did know each other the way people from Pure-blood families do.

She was, of course, with her son, Darius, who was around Bella's age and whom I had rarely, if ever, talked to. They were considered a prominent family, although not as much as our family was, and, as is the case with most Pure-blood families, were related to us, distantly. As they exchanged the usual pleasantries, we stayed rather silent and still, observing one another, the way children do when presented in awkward situations.

"My daughters, Bellatrix, Andromeda, and Narcissa," my mother said, giving us a slight push. We made a gesture that was not unlike curtsying, just as we had been taught to do. "Bellatrix is just starting her first-year at Hogwarts," my mother continued, "much like your daughter, although I was under the impression that she was around Narcissa's age."

A silence ensued, during which I am certain Mrs Nott was deciding how to proceed in correcting my mother. We exchanged looks that spoke of laughter and mischief, but we did not dare say a word because we all knew the punishments would be severe.

At last, placing a gloved hand on Darius' shoulder, Mrs Nott said, "Yes, my son Darius is starting his first-year as well."

My mother, who thought herself too important to be embarrassed, merely laughed as she placed a hand to her chest. "Why, you'll have to forgive me, Mrs Nott, for a moment I thought your son was a girl."

It had never occurred to me that the eldest Nott boy could be confused as a girl. It was true that he had unusually long eyelashes framing his blue eyes and blond hair that had gotten a bit shaggy since I had last seen him, but it wasn't too long; it was still far shorter than my hair, which cascaded down my back in light brown waves. And there definitely wasn't anything feminine about the trousers and vest he wore. You have to remember that at the time, it was highly unacceptable for a woman from a Pure-blood family to wear anything other than a dress—wizard-made, of course.

Mrs Nott smiled, although it was clear, at least to me, that it was forced. "Yes, I do believe it must be time to get his hair trimmed, isn't that so, Darius?" Mrs Nott asked, looking down at her son. He said nothing, as if having his gender be in dispute meant nothing to him, just shrugged. "Well, we must get going," Mrs Nott continued. "There is still a lot we have to do for Darius' upcoming year. It was good seeing you, Mrs Black. We must have tea one day."

"Of course, Mrs Nott, I'll make sure to owl you."

"Darius, say goodbye to Mrs Black and her daughters," she said, giving him a push forward.

"It was a pleasure seeing you all," he said, bowing slightly, as was customary for boys to do at the time, and when his eyes met mine, he lifted his eyebrows twice. I thought nothing of it, although I'm quite certain my mother did, for she placed her hand on my shoulder.

"Well, isn't that interesting," my mother said as she ushered us away, a smile playing on her lips. "Our little Andromeda has caught Darius' eye."

I considered the idea and immediately dismissed it. The thought, to me, seemed absurd. Darius and I barely knew each other and, while my mother might have known something's, she was completely oblivious when it came to children. After all, she hadn't even recognised Darius as a boy.

* * *

From the minute Bellatrix left to Hogwarts, I must admit that it felt as if a missing part of me had left and I'm certain Narcissa felt the same way. For the first time in our lives, we were separated and it seemed as if the whole world had been turned upside down. During the first few days, we roamed the gardens aimlessly, no longer taking joy in our games. As an older sister, I felt it my duty to keep Narcissa entertained and took Bella's place, at least until she returned. I must admit, I was a poor substitute, for I possessed none of Bella's rowdy streak. If it hadn't been for Sirius, whom our Aunt brought regularly with her while she and my mother had tea, we would surely have had a worse time during Bella's absence.

Even at the young age of five, Sirius was already showing promising signs of being a prominent prankster. He kept us entertained for hours at a time with his antics—locking unsuspecting house-elves in closets or else placing Dungbombs throughout the manor for them to find. I grew closer to him during that time, despite our age difference, and I know now that it was because, even then, I could see some of my doubts reflected in his grey eyes. Of course, at the time I believed it was because Sirius possessed some of the magic Bella had taken with her.

I believe the nights were the hardest for us both, because by then Sirius would be long gone and Bella's absence seemed more pronounced. We all had separate rooms, of course, connected by a series of doors, but more often than not, we would all find ourselves in either one of our beds. Even on those rare occasions when we slept alone it had been comforting to know that my sisters were sleeping just a few feet away. But now Bella was neither.

During one of the first nights without Bella, I woke to find Narcissa sitting in the edge of my bed, her knees drawn up to her chest. I could tell she was crying by the way her small shoulders shook and I immediately went to her, placing my arms around her.

"What's wrong, Cissy?" I whispered as she leaned back, placing her head on my shoulder.

"I miss Bella," she said in a small voice.

"I do too, but just think, in a few months, she will be back for the holidays."

"And then she'll leave again."

"Well, yes, but then she'll be back for summer."

"But it's not fair, Andy," she sniffed. "Because then she'll leave again and you'll be gone too and I'll be all alone."

"You won't be alone, Cissy. You'll have Sirius to keep you company."

"But it just won't be the same," she insisted.

"I'll write often," I offered.

"You promise?" she asked, tilting her head back so she could see me.

I nodded. "Every day if you want to."

She considered it for a moment, before nodding slowly. After that, I would wake most nights to find Narcissa curled in a ball next to me. Others, she would wake to find me.

* * *

We wrote to Bella every day and she wrote just as often, but she told little of her life in Hogwarts, although she did talk a lot about the friends she had made, whose surnames I recognised because they belonged to the people our parents associated with. She particularly talked about a third-year boy she had encountered, Rodolphus Lestrange, whom she apparently found fascinating with his passionate views of our world.

Most often than not, her letters offered an insight to her eleven-year old mind, full of unfinished thoughts, sharing with us new ideas she encountered and asking our opinions. Sometimes, she would write more than twice a day; I imagine that whenever a new thought occurred to her, she would rush to her quill and write back home.

_It would surprise you_, she once wrote,_ how many wizards seem to think that muggles have the same rights as we do! Have you ever heard of anything more absurd? Of course, I don't talk to such people, but it surprises me how many Pure-blood families seem to be losing their reputation by becoming muggle-lovers. _

It had been ingrained into the mind of every child born into Pure-blood families, that we were above anyone else. To think that many Pure-blood families were denouncing this belief seemed outrageous. How anybody could embrace this new way of thinking was beyond me. It would have never occurred to me that I would be amongst those who did.

* * *

Just as I had promised Narcissa, summer was upon us faster than either of us could have imagined and with it came Bella's return. We were whole again, the magic we had lost had returned to us. Bella hadn't changed in the slightest, at least not to us, and it felt as if she had never left, as if those last ten months had never happened. Sometimes, though, she would walk around with a small smile on her face, which made it seem as if she knew a secret she couldn't tell.

We knew that when summer ended, we would be separated once again—Bella and I would be in Hogwarts, while Narcissa would be left behind—so we made the most of our time together, exploring our grounds like we had before she had left. Sometimes, though, we would sit in the shade of the large maple tree by the stream just north of our house, and Bella would retell stories of her stay at Hogwarts. We listened with rapt attention as Bella described her first-year in vivid detail. She spoke of the classes she took, the people she met, and the castle, with its vast grounds and many towers.

As I listened to her, a part of me yearned to be in Hogwarts already, despite the fact that it would mean that we would be separated once more. I didn't want to leave Narcissa behind, but I wanted nothing more than to experience everything Hogwarts had to offer. And so, the count-down began.

* * *

On the eve of my departure to Hogwarts, my father summoned me to his office. Rarely had my father ever requested to speak to me alone, so it was with great surprise and curiosity that I entered his study. He was standing with his back to me, his gaze directed out of a window, seemingly lost in thought. I hesitated, not knowing whether I should interrupt him or not.

"You summoned me, Father?" I asked after a moment, in the strongest voice I could muster.

My father turned, but he did not acknowledge in any way that he had heard me or was aware of my presence. Instead, he directed himself toward his desk, pouring himself a glass of firewhisky. He took a sip from it and only then did he finally speak.

"The Black family is one of the most ancient and most respected Pure-blood families in existence. I believe you are aware of our family motto?" He looked at me, his grey eyes piercing mine and I nodded.

"_Toujours Pur_," I recited.

"And have you any idea what it means, child?"

"Always pure, Father."

"Indeed. The Black family does not associate with Mudbloods or Blood-traitors and I expect nothing less from you, understand?" Again, I nodded and he continued, seemingly pleased with my response. "Generations upon generations of the Black family have been sorted into Slytherin. That blundering idiot of a Headmaster might have let the attendance standards decline in Hogwarts, but they have not done so in Slytherin. To be sorted into Slytherin is a great honour and a tradition, one that I expect you to withhold. No child of mine will be sorted into the likes of Gryffindor, have I made myself clear?" he asked sharply, as if daring me to disagree.

"There can be no higher honour than to continue with the family tradition, Father," I responded and his expression softened minutely.

"Good girl," he said and then he did something he had never done before: he placed a hand on my shoulder. "I know you shall not disappoint me, child."

"Of course not, Father," I said vehemently, feeling my heart swell at the small gesture.

He nodded as he returned to his spot by the window. "You may go."

I left his study that night, as if in a daze, his words replaying over and over in my head as I lay awake at night. I made a promise to myself that night, a promise that I would break in subsequent years.

* * *

_**A/N**: Ooh, so what's that promise she made to herself? Any guesses? Anyway, a big thank you to my first three reviewers for this story:_

_Manatocfox: Now that you mention it, that's probably where I got the idea for the prologue from. I just loved that story! But it really isn't the same story, though, as I'm sure you'll see in later chapters. Anyway, I'm glad you liked it so far!_

_RuterDam: I love Andromeda and Ted, too! They're my favourite pairing, right after James and Lily. _

_Fire The Canon: Narcissa and Bellatrix will definitely be playing a major role in this story, too. I just love Bellatrix's character and I think it'll be fun to write how she changes, at least from her sister's point of view. And thanks for pointing out that mistake! I already changed it :) I'm glad you're interested in the story so far and I hope I can maintain that interest._

_Again, a big thanks to all of those who took the time to review and to those who are now following the story. You guys Siriusly rock!_

_~SirEvy~_


	3. Chapter 2

**A/N: **_So I took an online sorting quiz the other day and it turns out I'm a Slytherin. I always considered myself a Gryffindor or even a Ravenclaw, but I guess I was wrong. Any other Slytherins out there? Anyway, enough about me, on with the story!_

* * *

**Chapter 2**

Since mingling with Muggles, even if it were passingly, did not sit well with my mother, and there was too many of us for Side-Along Apparition to be possible, we took a Portkey directly to Platform Nine and Three Quarters, thus avoiding the hassle of Kings Cross Station. Father hadn't been able to accompany us because he had to 'take care of some important business' back in London, so it had just been Bella, Narcissa, our mother, and I. We arrived with fifteen minutes to spare and walked behind Mother as she went about greeting the other Pure-blood parents that had come to send their children off to Hogwarts as well.

In spite of myself, I walked around the platform in awe, looking at the world around me, trying to take it all in. I was nervous, of course, as is anyone who is presented with a new journey, but I couldn't help but feel a bit excited as well. It isn't every day that a young witch gets sent to Hogwarts for the first time; I do believe it might be one of the most important days in a witch's life, along with coming of age and getting married. There was just so much to see and, had it not be for Bella dragging me after her, I might've gotten lost in the sea of people rushing about. I wanted to remember this day, forever.

"Try and walk faster, before Mother decides to take it as a good opportunity to lecture you on proper walking etiquette," Bella whispered, giving me a sideway grin.

I had heard far too many of these lectures from my mother, that I already knew them by heart and I exchanged a mischievous grin with my sisters.

"Honestly, Andromeda," I said, imitating Mother's chastising tone. "Have I not taught you anything? A young lady glides when she walks and keeps her posture perfect, always looking straight ahead and chin tilted up."

"And remember to keep your face impassive. A young lady never reveals her emotions," Narcissa chided, in perfect imitation of our mother.

"Like this," Bella said, taking exaggeratedly delicate steps, keeping her body entirely rigid and her chin tilted at an odd angle, completely opposite of how we had been taught a proper woman should walk. We covered our mouths, giggling softly.

"Oh, I really am going to miss you," Narcissa whispered. "I don't know what I'm going to do without you."

"And we are going to miss you, too, Cissy," I said, giving my little sister's hand a gentle squeeze.

We continued trailing after Mother as she made her way toward Imogen Rosier, her older brother's wife, thus making her our Aunt and Mother's sister-in-law. I could see Aunt Imogen's daughter standing directly behind her, looking a bit nervous. Adelle, whom was my age, would be starting her first-year as well, and I felt a bit relieved to know that I would at least have one friend at Hogwarts. She was a dainty girl with big blue eyes and dark, straight hair and I smiled at her, a smile she returned without hesitation.

We stood behind Mother as she exchanged the usual niceties with Aunt Imogen and we took the opportunity to resume or conversation.

"Oh, do promise to write, you two, because if you don't, I swear I'll simply die!" Narcissa whispered and she clung to my arm as if she never meant to let go.

"Has anyone ever told you how dramatic you are, Cissy?" I asked, giving our younger sister a grin.

"You would be too, if Bella and I left you all alone," Narcissa said huffily, not lessening her grip on my hand.

The very thought sent a wave of panic cursing through me. Bella must have felt my panic, for she grabbed my hand and gave it a gentle squeeze, doing the same with Narcissa, so that we formed a circle.

"Don't be ridiculous, Cissy. We would never leave Andy alone. She's our sister."

Narcissa let go of my hand then and looked down and I knew she was in the verge of tears. I sighed, taking her hand in mine and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

"We're not leaving because we want to, Cissy," I said. "You know that if I could, I would much rather stay here with you."

Narcissa nodded, sighing sadly. "I know. But that doesn't mean I won't miss you."

She looked up at me then, her eyes shining with unshed tears and I let go of Bella's hand, wrapping my arms around my little sister.

"Oh, Cissy," Bella whispered, placing her arms around us. "I know exactly how you feel. When I left to Hogwarts last year without you two, I felt horrible; I missed you two so much it hurt. But time passed by fast and before I knew it, I was back with you. You'll see; this year will pass by faster than you think and then we'll be together again."

"Besides, look at the bright-side, Cissy. Now you'll have Sirius to boss around. Perhaps you could bully him into playing that tea party game you're always trying to make Bella and I play."

"And get him to wear those horrid dresses you're always trying to bully me into," Bella added.

Narcissa nodded, giggling a bit. "Perhaps it won't be so bad. But I'll miss you."

"And we'll miss you, too, Cissy," I said.

The scarlet train let out a billow then and all around us, children started boarding the train and I could see the panic flashing across Narcissa's eyes; I knew it was taking all her willpower to keep herself from crying. Bella let go as Mother turned around to face us, but I clung to my little sister, determined to never let go.

Mother huffed impatiently under her breath as she pulled Narcissa out of my grasp and Bella ushered me away, whispering that everything would be all right.

I nodded, allowing her to pull me into the train, before rushing to the window as it started moving and I gave Narcissa a small wave. She freed herself from Mother's grasp and rushed to the train, running alongside it as she waved desperately, the tears she had been trying to hold back running down her pale face.

I stuck my head out the window, waving back to her as she fell behind, until stopping altogether. I watched as she became smaller and smaller, until she was hardly more than a dot, before disappearing from my view. I stayed like that for a while, with half of my body sticking out of the train, trying very hard not to cry.

Never had it occurred to me how lucky I was to be the middle child. Bella had left to Hogwarts alone and now that I was leaving, too, Narcissa would be left behind. In both of their cases, I had had either one of my sisters with me. I never had to be alone.

* * *

"This is my sister, Andromeda," Bella announced as soon as we had found a compartment. She didn't seem to mind that her little sister was tagging along after her; on the contrary, she seemed quite delighted as she introduced me to her friends.

"Oh, it's so good to finally meet you, Andromeda," a girl with blue eyes and brown hair said, giving me a dainty smile. "I'm Alessandra Bulstrode."

"Rita Skeeter," a girl with pale blonde pin curls and cat-eye glasses said, extending her hand out for me to take, which I did gingerly. She shook it energetically, giving me a toothy smile. "We're just so curious about you. Bellatrix's always talking about you."

We both turned to look at her, but she said nothing, merely smiled that half-smile Black's are famous for, the one that gives that impression that we have a secret we're not willing to tell.

Bella seemed like a different person when in the company of others. She was rather quiet among them, much quieter than I had ever seen her, and it seemed that when she did talk, they all listened with rapt attention. It seemed peculiar to me how my sister, a mere second-year, could have such influence over this group of girls, some of who were older than she was. Perhaps it had something to do with the pull of her outgoing personality or the superiority that being a Black gave her or a combination of both, but whatever it was, it was apparent even to me that my sister was a natural leader.

During the train ride, a few other familiar faces made appearances: Rodolphus Lestrange, a fourth-year and his brother Rabastan, who was a first-year like me; Lucius Malfoy, who was also a first-year; Darius Nott and Evan Rosier, both second-years; Demetrius Avery and Marcus Yaxley, both fourth-years; and many others whom I soon learned were all in Slytherin and who would become very important in our lives, although I did not know it then. They barged in and out as they pleased, sometimes joining in on the conversations, or ignoring us all together.

In one of those instances, Darius turned to me, giving me a small smile.

"Excited for Hogwarts, Andie?" he asked, sweeping his hair out of his eyes.

His hair was as long as it had been the previous summer and I smiled, trying not to laugh as I remembered my mother's doubt about his gender a year ago.

"Yes. I've been waiting for this moment all my life."

"You'll love it there," Darius said, turning as Evan called him over. He turned to me, smiling apologetically. "See you in Slytherin."

Adelle, who had followed Bella and I into our compartment, giggled as soon as he had left, leaning in to me.

"I think he likes you," she whispered.

"Who likes you?" Eleanor Parkinson, a girl with brown hair and eyes, asked.

"Darius does," Adelle answered, before I could stop her.

"The Nott boy?" Phillipa Yaxley asked, throwing her blond hair over her shoulder.

Adelle nodded and I rolled my eyes. "Honestly, I barely even know him."

"That doesn't mean he can't like you, Andie," Bella said and the girls giggled.

"I smell romance," Eleanor said in a sing-song-y voice.

"Oh Merlin," I muttered under my breath, rolling my eyes.

To me, a mere eleven-year old, the possibility didn't seem very appealing, at the time. I had other, more important things to worry about; my little sister, for example. Even though I had just seen her, I wondered if Narcissa was all right. Already I missed her more than anything. After all, she was my little sister, one part of my whole.

* * *

When I caught my first glimpse of Hogwarts, I felt as if my whole world stopped. After years of imagining how Hogwarts might be, I was finally here. I stared in awe as I boarded a small boat, with Adelle, and two other girls I would soon learn the names of following closely behind me. I looked up at the vast castle that loomed above us, with its many turrets and towers, its windows sparkling and blending into the starry sky. I smiled as the fleet of boats made their progression to the castle, all the while thinking to myself, _I'm here. I'm finally here._

I was too excited and nervous to care when a small, black-haired boy with sparkling blue, kind eyes bumped into me in his haste to get to the castle first. I was excited because I was finally in Hogwarts and nervous because of the uncertainty I felt; what if I wasn't sorted into Slytherin?

Luckily for me, I was amongst the first to be sorted, right after 'Avery, Elise', who just so happened to be the first Slytherin. I walked up to the stage when Professor McGonagall called my name, ignoring the whispers my surname had caused amongst the Hogwarts population. The last thing I saw before being plunged into darkness was Bella, giving me a reassuring smile.

"_Another Black_, _eh_?" a voice whispered in my ear and I jumped, slightly startled. "_Let's see_. _What have we here?_ _A ready mind, I see, and_ _you_ _have a certain thirst for knowledge. You're cunning, yes, and ambitious in your own way. And determined, very determined, almost to the point of stubbornness." _The Hat paused, and I held my breath. "_Better be_—SLYTHERIN!"

I grinned in relief as I slipped the Hat off my head, before running to the clapping Slytherin table to join my sister. I felt silly for having doubted that I would be sorted into another House; how could I have been?

I was a Black and I belonged in Slytherin.

Now, before I continue, I feel that a few clarifications have to be made, concerning my House. Contrary to popular belief, Slytherins were not all bloodthirsty, arrogant, Dark-Wizards-in-the-making. We didn't spend our free time plotting against the other Houses or the demise of Muggles and Muggle-borns, nor did we spend it studying the Dark Arts.

Like in all other Houses, we had a variety of people and yes, perhaps we were more ruthless, our curses might have been darker, and our grudges more dearly held, but we were young wizards, just like the rest of the Hogwarts' students. We fell in love, had fallouts, we gossiped, made enemies with people who were once friends and friends with whom we once considered an enemy.

Whatever it may seem to outside Houses, the Slytherins are a close-knit family and we would much rather eat our own hats than turn against one of our own. Outside, we stick together, talk to our own and look down on others we feel are less than we are, but only because that is how we have been taught to behave all our lives. We have always had this 'us against them' mentality and Hogwarts has only helped fuel that belief. Inside, we are completely different people.

I must admit, though, that at first I believed, as does the rest of the school, that Slytherin was merely a camping ground for snobbish elite in the making. I was proved wrong, of course, as soon as I stepped foot in the Slytherin common room.

Tired, full and incredibly sleepy, I had followed Bella and the rest of my housemates as they made their way down to the dungeons, toward our common room.

Once inside, the masks slipped off and everyone seemed to relax a bit as they talked avidly amongst themselves, laughing and joking. No longer did they have the air of superiority that seems to follow Slytherins wherever they go.

Wren Rowle, a sixth-year Prefect grinned as she ushered as inside. I couldn't help but smile as I looked around; it felt as if I were finally coming home in a very long time.

"Welcome to Hogwarts, little Hatchlings," she said, holding out her arms. "And welcome to Slytherin."

And so began the next seven years that would change my life, forever.

* * *

_**A/N**: Yay! Now I can finally get on with the actual story. I promise the chapters will be longer from now on. A big thanks to those people who reviewed the last chapter:_

_**ClassicalRainfall**: Firstly, thank you for pointing out those mistakes! I wouldn't have caught them otherwise :) Now, about the first line, well this story is sort of like Andromeda's reflection of her own life and what she perceives as her mistakes. Not about Ted, no, but about her life before and after Ted. I didn't add them right away because they'll be scattered throughout the story. I like to think that Andromeda believed, at first, everything she had been taught, until she met the boy who would eventually make her question her beliefs (Ted). Hope I made that clearer for you (I've never been any good with explanations). And the promise, totally Ted related._

_**Fire the Canon**: I've never been too fond of writing in the first person and I'm glad you think I'm doing it right! And I agree, Fanfiction was acting a bit weird. I didn't even know the last chapter had gotten any reviews until I came on here. Hopefully, they've fixed the problem._

_**Manatocfox**: I'm glad you're loving it!_

_**RuterDam:** Glad you thought so! And I agree, I feel sorry for poor Narcissa, but oh well. C'est la vie!_

_Anyway, how did I do with her sorting? I know many people think Andromeda belonged in Ravenclaw, but Slytherins are also smart, in their own way. And like I said, not all Slytherins are bad. I mean Slughorn was a Slytherin and he wasn't evil. Maybe a bit vain but definitely not Dark Wizard material. _


	4. Chapter 3

**_A/N:_ **_Sorry for the delay! But I've been caught up with some stuff and life has been pretty hectic right now, but I've managed to get it under control. Hopefully, I'll be able to update regularly now! I won't make this A/N incredibly long, so see you all at the bottom! :)_

* * *

**Chapter 3**

"Are you sure you don't want us to wait for you, Andromeda?" Isabelle Zabini, one of my roommates, asked, retying her tie for what seemed like the tenth time. Even at the young age of eleven she was already quite lovely with her olive-coloured skin, hazel-green eyes and straight raven hair.

"Or you could always come to the Great Hall with us," Emma Greengrass, another of my roommates, offered, her hand resting against the door's handle. "I'm sure your sister wouldn't mind."

"No, that's alright," I said, smoothing the hem of my skirt as I stood from my bed; I wasn't too keen about leaving the common room without Bella. I didn't know my way around Hogwarts yet, and I had been too tired yesterday to remember my way to the Great Hall. I suppose I could have followed my roommates, but I felt uncomfortable in venturing the vast castle without my sister.

The girls nodded, before exiting our dormitory. After checking I had everything I needed for my first day of class, I made for the door and descended the stairs, into the common room. I scanned the room, letting out a small sigh as soon as I became aware of my sister's absence.

"Has anyone seen Bellatrix?" I asked no one in particular.

It was Darius who answered me, extracting himself momentarily from the conversation he was having with Evan.

"Have you checked her dormitory?" he asked.

I sighed as I made my way up the stairs again, only coming to a stop once I had reached the girl's second-year dormitory. I gave it a tentative knock and heard the sound of shuffled footsteps coming from inside, before the door was swung open.

"Oh, it's just you," Rita whispered as she stepped aside, letting me in.

"Who's there?" Eleanor's soft voice whispered from inside, giving me a warm smile when she saw me. "Oh, hello, Andromeda. Are you looking for your sister?"

I nodded, somewhat confused as to why they were talking in such low voices. "Have you seen her?" I asked and Rita nodded, looking behind her shoulder.

I followed her gaze and saw Bella sprawled across her bed, still fast asleep.

"We would have woken her," Eleanor whispered as I made my way to my sister's bed, "but we learned the hard way never to disrupt Bellatrix's sleep."

Under different circumstances, I would have found the thought of these poor girls having to awaken my sister quite amusing—Bella has never been a morning person and can be quite murderous when awoken—but I only felt frustration. After all, it was my first day at Hogwarts and I most certainly did not want to be late for my first class.

"We'll see you in the Great Hall," Eleanor said, before exiting the dormitory rather hastily, leaving me and my sister alone.

"Wake up, Bella," I said in a loud voice; Bella did nothing, simply stirred. I tried again. "Hurry up, Bellatrix," I urged, nudging her slightly. "We're going to be late." Again nothing. "Honestly, Bella," I said, sighing in exasperation as I threw the canopy over her bed open, allowing the sunlight to hit her face.

Bella groaned, waving her hand in my direction in obvious dismissal. I took the opportunity and grabbed a hold of her hand, yanking hard, making her topple out of bed. She scowled at me, brushing her raven locks out of her face.

"What the hell is your bloody problem, Andie?" she hissed her scowl deepening as I ignored her, rummaging instead through her trunk, which she hadn't bothered to unpack, for her uniform.

"What would Mother say if she heard you talking like that, Bella?" I asked finally and Bella's scowl diminished, leaving in its place a smirk as she took the clothes I was holding out to her.

"Such language is not proper for a young lady," Bella mimicked, rising from her spot in the ground. She headed for the lavatory, but not before saying, "You should go on ahead without me, Andie; wouldn't want you to be late for class. I'll catch up to you in a minute."

And with that she shut the door, leaving me to roll my eyes as I heard the sound of running water. I sighed as I rushed out of her dormitory, down the stairs and out of the common room. I groaned inwardly as I slowed my pace, trying to retrace my steps from the previous night; I had little to no idea where exactly the Great Hall was located.

_You should pay more attention_, a little voice in my head chided, one that sounded suspiciously like my mother. I would often find myself lost in thought, causing me to completely forget about my surroundings—something that had always irritated Mother greatly.

I cursed myself for not having accepted my roommates' invitation to leave for breakfast with them. I was too preoccupied with finding my way to the Hall that I didn't notice the boy running in my direction, until we were both on the floor. He laughed warmly and I scowled, giving him my best Black glare; after all, Blacks do not take being laughed at lightly.

He seemed vaguely familiar, even though I knew there was no way I knew this boy, especially not after I noticed his orange tie. He was clearly a Hufflepuff boy, which meant one of two things: either he was a blood-traitor or he was a Muggle-born.

"What is so funny, if I may ask?" I said in spite of myself, still trying to decipher who the boy was as I stood up, brushing my clothes for any dust.

"Nothing, it just seems like we have a habit of bumping into each other, doesn't it?" the boy said, his blue eyes sparkling kindly and I instantly recognised him—he was the same boy who had bumped into me the previous night, in his haste to get to the castle.

"Seems to _me_ that _you_ have a habit of not watching where you are going," I said, irritation lacing my voice.

"Yeah, sorry about that," he said with, giving me a toothy smile. "But to be fair, _you_ were the one not paying attention today."

I narrowed my eyes as I opened my mouth to retort, but a voice called out from behind us and whatever I was about to say, was forgotten.

"Ted!"

We both turned and I recognised the blond boy hurrying toward us as being Amos Diggory. The Diggory's had been a family of good standing amongst the Pure-blood community, partly because of their Pure-blood status and also because of Eldritch Diggory, a former Minister of Magic. That is, until Diggory's father, Aurelius Diggory, had made his support for Muggle rights widely known.

I knew very well what the Diggory boy thought about me, being what Bella would call a dunglicker, and he made no effort to hide his feelings as he pulled the black-haired boy away from me.

"Come on, Ted," Diggory said, not bothering to acknowledge my presence and I rose my chin in an arrogant tilt reminiscent of my older sister's, before stalking off, not bothering to spare them a second glance.

"You're going the wrong way, you know. The Hall's that way," Ted called after me and I noted, with some irritation, the hint of amusement in his voice. I squared my shoulders as I changed direction, trying my best to ignore Ted and Diggory as I walked past them. "See you around!" Ted said and I scowled inwardly.

_At least_, I told myself, _I'll never be forced to talk to that boy again_.

How very wrong was I.

* * *

The next time I saw Ted, it was during our first Potions lesson. I was running a bit late, given that Bella had decided to stop me just as I was exiting the Charms classroom and proceeded to go into one of her impassioned rants about why Muggle-borns shouldn't be allowed in Hogwarts. This had been brought on after a Muggle-born Ravenclaw had received higher marks than her in their Defence Against the Dark Arts quiz.

I ran in just as the last bell had rung, only to find that most of the seats were taken, save for one at the front of the classroom. I sighed as I took the seat next to a boy who was busy rummaging through his knapsack to pay me any heed, just as Professor Slughorn, the Potions master and Head of Slytherin House, entered the classroom. He was a rather short, jolly man, with a round belly and walrus-like moustache and had a knack for surrounding himself with people he perceived as having great talent, although I wouldn't become aware of this particular trait of his until much later.

"Good afternoon, class," Professor Slughorn greeted us gleefully as he inspected the class, "and welcome to Potions. It is one of the most complex branches of magic and requires precision, but not to worry, we will be starting with the basics, for now."

And with that he proceeded to take roll, occasionally smiling at the faces that went with the surnames he seemed to recognise. He seemed beside himself when he read my name—I suspect it had more to do with the prestige associated with my surname than anything else.

"Can't seem to get enough of me, can you?" the boy next to me asked and I felt my shoulders stiffen as I recognised his voice—Ted. I kept my face impassive, trying to pretend that I hadn't heard him as I listened instead to Professor Slughorn's lesson. He droned on for what seemed like forever, before sending us off, but not before assigning us to a special project.

"Now, each of you will receive the ingredients and instructions for creating a specific potion," Professor Slughorn announced, seeming incredibly excited.

"Your job will be to work with your partner to try and figure out exactly what the potion is and what it does, before preparing it yourselves. It won't be due until the end of the year, but I do advise you to get started on it, because it will be worth half your grade." He stopped, looking at us expectantly and everyone listened to him, paying rapt attention.

"Now, I would like you to take a good look at the people you are sitting next to, because they will be your partners for the remainder of this particular project as well as for the remainder of the year," Professor Slughorn continued, and I let out a small groan.

"Seems like you're stuck with me," Ted said, not hiding his amusement. I turned to look at him then, rolling my eyes as I became aware of his grin, but all that did was make his grin grow wider.

I felt my frustration growing as I turned away from him, stuffing my materials into my knapsack. I bolted from the classroom as soon as the bell had rung, not bothering to wait for my roommates, who had been trying to catch my eye for the past twenty minutes. I heard someone approaching me, and I tried to quicken my pace, to no avail.

Ted fell into step beside me and both of us were quiet for a few seconds that seemed like hours.

"I guess we should get to know each other a bit, don't you think?" he asked after a moment. "Since, you know, we'll be working together."

I ignored him as I headed for the Great Hall, hoping he would take my silence as an invitation to shut up, but he didn't.

"I'll start. My name is Ted Tonks. Just Ted. Not Theodore or Edward, just plain, old Ted."

He grinned at me as he looked at me expectantly. When I didn't say anything, he continued, not bothered by my petulant silence.

"And you're Andromeda Black, right?" I looked at him, giving him my best '_Isn't that obvious?_' look and he grinned. "Nice name. So have you got any nicknames?" I looked at him again, my eyebrow raised in question. "It's just that Andromeda is too much of a mouthful, for me, see," he explained.

"Even if I did, I wouldn't tell you," I said and his grin grew wider, if that was even possible.

"So, you do talk! I was starting to fear the cat had gotten your tongue."

"Why would a cat have my tongue?" I asked curiously, in spite of myself.

He laughed lightly. "It's just a—what did Amos call it? Muggle expression?"

"Well, it's a stupid expression," I said a bit haughtily as someone called out for me from behind us.

"Hey, Andy!"

Ted grinned as he turned to look at me, obviously pleased with himself. "So you _do_ have a nickname!"

I scowled. "Only my family or friends are allowed to call me that," I said, as I turned around to see Darius running through the crowded corridors to get to me.

"Oh, but I _am_ your friend," Ted grinned. "Well, see you later, _Andy_. Wouldn't want you to get in trouble with your boyfriend."

"He's not my boyfriend!" I hissed and Ted chuckled as he walked away, leaving me to glare after him.

"Was he bothering you?" Darius asked as he caught up with me, frowning at Ted's retreating back.

"No," I replied, as I tried to squash down my anger, turning away from Ted.

Darius nodded. "Would you mind if I accompanied you to lunch?" he asked and I hesitated, before nodding.

"I don't see why not."

Darius grinned as he led me down the corridors again, making light conversation. It was a bit awkward, but it felt nice, I have to admit, to have Darius walking beside me. I could feel Bella's eyes on me as soon as we entered the Great Hall and she gave me a proud smile as I approached our table, a million questions dancing behind her black eyes.

I could feel a different pair of eyes on me as well as I sat down and I looked up to find a pair of mischievous blue eyes staring at me. Ted winked at me as he caught my eye and I scowled, which only made his smirk grow bigger. I tried my best to ignore him, but I couldn't stop myself from looking in his direction every so often, which only seemed to please him.

It was safe to say that Ted Tonks was quickly becoming the bane of my eleven-year old existence.

* * *

We continued on like that for most of the term, with Ted carrying on his one-sided conversation. I learned more about him that term than I cared to know, like that he had one younger brother, Anthony and an older sister, Lydia; that he had been raised on a sheep farm in the English countryside; and was an avid reader, much like myself. I was too preoccupied with my studying to respond to him; the most I would ever say was "Yes" "No" and "Pass the porcupine quills".

The problem with being the second child to attend Hogwarts, I soon found out, was that the Professors all expected me to be to be exactly like Bellatrix. That was quite clear when Professor Slughorn approached my cauldron two weeks into my first term. We had been asked to create a simple potion, a Cure for Boils, and it had been a disastrous attempt from my part, to say the very least.

"Excellent job, Mr Tonks!" Professor Slughorn beamed as he passed approached our table, taken in by Tonks' charm, despite the fact that he wasn't even in his house. "Just the right consistency, I see. Are you sure there's no magical blood in your family? Look at this, everyone!" Professor Slughorn called out, motioning the class over.

"I'm sure," Tonks said, looking pleased but slightly embarrassed as the class peered, some slightly resentfully, into his cauldron to admire his work.

I frowned, not understanding what there was to be embarrassed about. Surely he realised what an important accomplishment it was to master such a difficult art as was Potions? What I wouldn't have given to have his talent!

Pure-blooded families take a great pride in having their children come out on top in all of their studies, especially Potions. It is a subject that is looked upon with great prestige in our society, right after the Dark Arts.

I looked up hesitantly as Slughorn bent over my cauldron, frowning as I saw his face fall.

"You need a few more porcupine quills, Ms Black. Are you sure you weighed them out correctly?" he asked, disappointment clear in his voice.

He had been terribly excited the first week of school, when he had learned I was Bellatrix's younger sister, but it seemed I wasn't living up to his expectations.

I sighed as I bit my lip, trying very hard to avoid his gaze. "I believe I must have measured wrong, sir," I mumbled quietly. "I mustn't have been paying attention."

Professor Slughorn nodded, seemingly pleased with my answer. "Just make sure to pay better attention, Ms Black."

I nodded. "I'll try harder next time." Or would it be better just to accept that I'd never be as good as Bellatrix, I wondered?

I stuffed my materials back into my knapsack, feeling my frustration rising. Why couldn't I be as good as Bella? Or as, even though I hated to admit it, _Tonks_? I couldn't understand how a Muggle-born—a _Hufflepuff_ Muggle-born could be better than me, a _Slytherin _Pure-blood, at Potions.

"Don't feel too bad, Andy," Tonks said, giving me a small smile; despite my constant attempts to get him to stop, he insisted on using my nickname. "I'm sure you'll do better next time. I mean it wasn't—"

"Why?" I asked suddenly, cutting him off.

"Why what?" Ted asked, burrowing his brow in confusion.

"Why are you so nice to me? Why do you keep making an effort to talk to me, when you've clearly heard about my House's reputation, as well as my family's?" I asked, genuinely curious. "I mean, we're supposed to hate you."

He remained quiet for a while and I wondered, for a moment, if I had somehow insulted him, before dismissing the idea. After all, what did I care whether I had insulted this boy or not? But, that still didn't stop me from feeling a bit guilty about it.

It wasn't until the end of our lesson when I had finally gotten my answer.

"Because you're different," was all he said, before he gathered his things and walked away, leaving me to ponder on the meaning of what he had just said.

* * *

_**A/N:** If you're reading this, then you've obviously managed to get to the end of this chapter and that means I did a good job! Hooray for both of us! And double hooray for you, if you reviewed my last chapter:_

_**ChocolateIsKryptonite:** Well, hello there fellow Slytherin! I'm super glad you're liking the story so far and I'm totally ecstatic that this is the first Ted/Andromeda fic you read. So, yay for me! I guess lol _

_**RuterDam:** I agree! I mean, I love Hufflepuffs, they're the best kind of people and I don't get why there are so many stupid prejudices against both our Houses. I'll stop myself here, before I go on a rampage about why Slytherins and Hufflepuffs are awesome-I could go on and on if that happened. So I'll just say, thank you for your review! I'll make sure to update sooner :)_

_**Manatocfox:** That is exactly what I am trying to show in this story: that not all Slytherins are as bad as people claim they are. And as for Bellatrix, she's a bit mad from the beginning, because all the best people are (kudos to you if you know where I got that quote from ;D) but it won't be until the later chapters when we see her slow descent into madness. I am super excited for that :D_

**_artemis15sc: _**_Yep, that was totally what I was trying to do. I'm glad it worked lol Anywho, thank you for your review!_

_And thank YOU for taking the time to read this story, even if you didn't review! You guys Siriusly rock. You all deserve a giant chocolate-covered Marauder of your choice. But not Moony, because Moony's mine!_

_And this is where I leave you guys, because I am jumping in my seat and maybe drinking that energy drink wasn't such a good idea._


	5. Chapter 4

_**A/N: **Oh, look! An update! Yay! _

* * *

**Chapter 4**

After our brief exchange, which could hardly even be considered a conversation, Ted and I had fallen back to our normal one-sided conversation; I could not bring myself to give Ted more than one-worded responses and he didn't seem to mind in the least. I was both a bit embarrassed and intrigued by what Ted had said, but I hadn't had the courage to bring up our previous conversation, to ask him what he had meant. I had hoped Ted might bring it up, but he had gone on pretending as if it hadn't happened at all.

I tried to follow his example, throwing myself into my studies as I tried to forget his words. It certainly worked during the day, but late at night, I would find myself lying wide awake, trying to decipher the meaning of what he had said: _Because you're different._

What had he meant by that, I wondered? How was I different? I certainly did not feel different. After all, I was quite convinced that my family's views of our world were correct and I believed everything I had been taught. But, why did Ted think that I was different from them? Could he see something I couldn't?

* * *

The weeks passed, September turned into October, and before I knew it November was upon us and with it came the chilly weather, as well as the much awaited Quidditch season. It seemed that the Slytherin team was training consistently now, seeing as the first match, which would be between the Gryffindors and Slytherins, was only a few days away.

I had never been a big fan of the sport, but I would quite often find myself in the Quidditch pitch, watching them practise. Darius, who had made it as a Chaser into the team, had invited me to quite a few practises, but I liked to tell myself that I only went to them because Rodolphus was on the team as well and Bella had taken quite a liking to him. Of course, this was a lie—I would sometimes go down to the pitch regardless of whether Bella accompanied me or not.

On one such instance when Bella couldn't be bothered to accompany me, a day or so before the first match, I was sitting on the stands, my cloak wrapped tightly around my small figure, trying to ignore the cold weather. I wasn't paying much attention to the practise; instead, I chose to use the free time to write a letter to Narcissa; I wrote to her regularly, sometimes more than once a day and she wrote just as often, keen on knowing every single detail of my life at Hogwarts. It was the highlight of my day, writing to my sister; it returned some sense of normalcy that seemed to be lacking in Hogwarts.

Too engrossed was I with writing my letter that I didn't see him walking my way until he was sitting right in front of me.

"Hello, Andy," he said and I jumped, slightly startled. I looked up to see Ted grinning at me, before turning to the person beside me, giving her a slight nod. "Zabini."

Isabelle Zabini had quickly become one of my closest friends, and it would remain that way, well into our adulthood. It wasn't that I wasn't popular amongst my housemates, because I was—being Bellatrix's sister _and_ a Black had its advantages—but there really weren't many people I would consider friends, more like acquaintances; Isabelle was one of the few people I considered to be my friend.

I enjoyed Isabelle's company, more so than the rest of my roommates did—they all viewed her as being annoyingly shallow, not that they were any different themselves. While it may have been true that Isabelle was quite vain, she was also quite smart and offered me an insight to things that I would have remained oblivious to otherwise. She was also rather talented at Potions, something that would come quite handy to her later in life.

"Tonks," she acknowledged, giving him a small smile, before returning her attention to the magazine she was reading. Perhaps the thing that intrigued me most about Isabelle was her lack of interest in blood purity. Despite being from a long line of prestigious Pure-blooded Italian wizards, Isabelle cared for blood purity as much as our roommates cared for her, which wasn't very much. _Men are men, _she would later tell me_, regardless of their blood status._

"What do you want, Tonks?" I asked, remembering to keep a hint of irritation in my voice, ignoring the fact that my heart was beating just a tad faster; this was more than I had said to Ted in the past month.

"Nothing," Ted said, his grin never wavering. "Just wanted to see how my favourite Slytherins are doing."

"Well, as you can see, we're doing quite well, so leave," I said, returning my attention to my letter.

Ted ignored me as he leaned in, trying to get a closer look. "What'cha writing?"

"None of your business," I snapped, pulling the letter away from him.

"Is it a letter to your boyfriend?" Ted asked innocently, not at all bothered by my irritation toward him.

"I don't have a boyfriend," I hissed.

"Oh, that's right. That Nott boy's your boyfriend," he grinned.

"He is not!" I yelled, my voice a pitch louder; already, I could feel a light blush creeping up my face.

"I'm just teasing you, you know," Ted chuckled. "Honestly, Andy, you really do make it easy for someone to take the mickey out of you."

I glared at him and Ted sighed, passing a hand through his uncombed, dark hair.

"Look, Andy, I just came to ask you if tonight would be a good night to get together, just to see what we both have so far. Slughorn _did_ say it was worth half our grade, you know."

I let out a small groan. I had been too preoccupied with finding the meaning of Ted's words that I had completely forgotten about our agreement; after Professor Slughorn had given us the instructions for our potion during the first week of October, we had both agreed to do our research separate and meet later that month, which we still hadn't done.

"What?" he asked, furrowing his brow. "You didn't forget, did you?"

"No," I answered quickly.

Ted looked at me, clearly not convinced. "I don't know why I don't believe you, Andy."

I sighed. "Fine. I _might_ have forgotten," I said evasively.

Ted chuckled. "Well, I can't say I blame you. I try not to think about Potions more than I have to." He looked thoughtful for a minute, before smiling. "Tell you what, we go to the library and do our research together. How does that sound?"

I hesitated, considering his offer. I didn't really want to spend more time with Ted than I had to, but what choice did I have? I certainly did not want to fail Potions; it wasn't a possibility.

"Okay," I said finally.

Ted smiled. "Great. See you after dinner." He rose from his seat, giving me a smile. He nodded in Isabelle's direction, who merely waved him away, before turning around and walking back down the stands.

"I don't get why working with Ted annoys you any," Isabelle said, finally putting her magazine down as we both watched Ted's retreating back. I tore my gaze away from him, turning instead to look at her.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, it isn't like Ted is any bad at Potions."

"But he's _Ted Tonks_, Izzy," I said, as if that made all the difference. "He's a Muggle-born."

Isabelle waved her hand around, dismissing my comment. "You know I don't care much for that, Andy. You have to admit he _is_ kind of cute," she giggled.

I looked at her like if she had just grown an extra head. "The only thing I'll admit is that I think you've been inhaling too much of those potion fumes of yours. You should go have Madam Pomfrey check you," I said seriously and she grinned.

"Say what you want, but the fact still remains that Tonks is not that bad looking," she said, giving me a small shrug. "At least be glad you aren't stuck with Adelle."

"What's wrong with Adelle?" I asked, feeling a bit defensive toward my cousin.

"Nothing, really. I mean, she's nice enough, I suppose, but she's a complete troll when it comes to Potions."

It wasn't untrue; Adelle was even worse than me when it came to Potions, and that was saying something.

"I would much rather work with her than be stuck with _Tonks_," I said rather huffily, glad that practise had come to an end.

Isabelle was too preoccupied with watching the boys dismount their brooms to be bothered with responding. Instead, she elbowed me, nudging her head in the direction of a certain blond, shaggy-haired second-year.

"I suppose he's more to your liking, isn't he?" she asked innocently.

I blushed, turning away from Darius, who had just spotted me and waved in our direction.

"Shut up, Izzy," I muttered and she laughed.

"I _knew_ there was a reason you dragged me down here," Isabelle said as we both descended the stands.

We met Darius halfway and Isabelle made a great show of stretching and yawning, as if she had suddenly become increasingly tired. "Oh Merlin, am I tired. While I enjoyed having you drag me down here, Andy, I think I'll go lie down before dinner. Goodbye, Darius, Andy," she said, giving me a large grin as she walked away.

Darius laughed softly, shaking his head as he stared after her. He turned to look at me then, giving me a smile.

"Care to take a walk?" he asked and I could feel a light blush creep up my face as I nodded slowly.

"Behave yourselves, you two," Rodolphus called after us, which caused the surrounding boys to explode in a chorus of "Ooh's" and laughter. Although his tone was light and teasing, I couldn't help but notice the hint of seriousness in his voice. Already, Rodolphus was starting to become quite protective over me, as were most, if not all, of the boys in my House; this was a drawback of being the younger, less interesting and far more fragile sister of Bellatrix Black.

"Don't worry, Rod," Darius said, turning to look at Rodolphus. A look of understanding passed between the two boys and Rodolphus nodded, giving us a smile.

We continued walking, the boys' teasing and hooting following after us and Darius smiled at me apologetically.

"Sorry about that," he said sheepishly.

"It's alright," I said, giving him a small smile, although I'm sure my face told another story; I could feel my face burning a dark, crimson red.

"How are your classes?" he asked, trying to make conversation.

"Good, I suppose," I replied with a small shrug.

"You suppose?" he asked, arching an eyebrow.

"Well, they're nothing like I thought they would be," I replied.

"Much more demanding you mean?" he asked. I nodded and he laughed, not unkindly. "Yeah, that's what I thought, too. But you're smart and quite talented; you'll be all right." He smiled and I returned his smile, feeling my blush reappearing.

"I hope so," I managed feebly.

"Don't worry. You will be. What class are you having more trouble with?"

I hesitated, rolling my lower lip between my teeth. "Potions."

"I'm not claiming to be an expert on the subject, but I could tutor you, if you'd like," he offered and I smiled as I saw a light blush creeping up his pale face.

"I'd like that," I said, groaning inwardly as I heard my name being called. We turned to see Bellatrix rushing toward us, a gleeful grin on her face.

"Well, this is where I leave you, Andy. See you," he said, giving me another smile, before walking away.

"See you," I whispered, slowing my pace so that Bella could catch up to me.

"What did he want?" she demanded as soon as she reached me, giving me the biggest grin I had ever seen. I looked at her, wondering why she seemed to be so excited, before responding.

"Nothing, we were just talking." I paused, biting my lip. "He offered to tutor me on Potions."

"That's great," she said vaguely and I wondered if she was even paying attention to what I was saying. "Listen, Andy, I need your help."

I stopped in my tracks, finally understanding why Bella seemed to be so happy; she was plotting something and, whatever it was, I instantly felt sorry for whoever her intended victim was.

"Oh, Bella, what are you up to now?" I sighed and she shrugged her grin still in place.

"I'm not up to anything, Andy, really." I looked at her in obvious disbelief and she sighed. "Fine. I just think it's about time I teach that Mudblood her place." She was, of course, talking about Emmeline Vance, the Ravenclaw Muggle-born who seemed to surpass her in all, if not most, of their classes.

"And where do I fit in all this?"

"Well, I need someone to pour her this," she said, extracting a small vial full of some sort of powder from her robes.

"What is that?" I asked wearily.

Bella grinned. "You'll see," she said vaguely. "Will you do it?"

I sighed. "Why me?"

"Because, Andy, I need someone who nobody would suspect of being up to no good."

"I'm a Slytherin," I reminded her.

"Yes, but let's face it, Andy, you're a bit of a swot and nobody ever suspects swots." Had anyone else said it, I might have been offended, but since it was coming from my sister, I really didn't mind. Bella was like that; always very blunt and open with her views.

"Oh, Bella," I sighed in defeat. I knew that, even if I tried, Bella would never let me decline my help. "Exactly what do you need me to do?"

* * *

After a quick visit to the Kitchens, in which I had somehow managed to convince the house-elves to pour the powdery potion onto the food directed toward the Ravenclaw table—it was a rather harmless potion, only being able to serve its purpose once the appropriate spell was cast—I met Bella at the entrance of the Great Hall, just as we had planned.

"Did you do it?" Bella whispered to me as we both took a seat in the Slytherin table. I nodded, trying to maintain a cool exterior; inside, I was a mess of anxious knots and doubts. "Great."

I tried to follow Bella's example as she joined in on the conversation, although I was too nervous to do more than nod my head. Finally, after an agonizing ten minutes of fretting, Bella's victim showed up. She was a rather pretty girl, with lovely brown hair and I immediately felt guilty about what was about to happen. I watched helplessly as I saw her take her first bite, doing nothing to stop my sister as she pointed her wand at her, casting the spell.

Almost immediately, Vance's chocolaty curls started falling off in large heaps, adorning the ground around her. Vance froze, her spoon suspended in mid-air and her eyes wide in horror.

Vance turned to look at Bella, who was laughing with glee, and shot her a look of contempt, her bright, blue eyes shining with angry tears, before rushing off. I felt sorry for her, seeing her run to Madam Pomfrey knowing very well that there was nothing the older witch could do. The potion, Bella had told me, would prevent Vance's hair from growing even an inch for the next month, no matter what powerful spells were cast to it.

There were a few shrieks from the girl population that followed Vance as she exited the Hall, but they were drowned out by the jeering laughter of the less sympathetic Slytherins, as well as some of the male population that were oblivious to this poor girl's suffering.

They disgusted me at that moment, with their lack of sympathy and ignorance. But most of all, I disgusted myself. I could have done something, anything to stop Bella, but I hadn't.

* * *

After dinner, I made my way down to the library, keen on getting my meeting with Ted over as soon as possible. I wanted nothing more than to lie in my bed and forget about what I had just done.

"Out of all the Muggle-borns I could have been paired up with, it had to be you," I said huffily as I took the seat across from his.

Ted said nothing, merely smiled at me and shrugged, before returning to the book he was reading. I looked at the pile of books he had gathered, before picking up a promising one and opening it to a random page. I stared at it absentmindedly, reading the first line over and over again, not really taking anything in.

Every so often, Ted would look up at me, open his mouth, before shaking his head and looking back down. Finally, not being able to take it anymore, I snapped.

"What?"

He looked up and I could see him hesitating. "Why'd you do it?" he asked finally.

His question caught me off guard and I looked at him stupidly.

"Do what?" I asked, hoping that he wasn't referring to what had happened during dinner.

"Why'd you do that to that poor Vance girl?" he asked again. "She hasn't done anything to you."

"How do you know it was me?" I asked blankly, trying to give nothing away. "It could have been anybody else."

He shrugged. "It could have, but you were the only one without a reaction. I saw you; you didn't move or anything, you just sat there, with a blank look on your face. But your eyes..."

He trailed off as his eyes met mine and I could see something there, something I couldn't quite place. And then I it hit me: _pity_. I dropped my gaze, suddenly finding the table beneath my hands interesting. He stayed quiet for a moment and I could feel his gaze on me. I could hear Madam Pince calling out that the library was closing, but neither of us moved.

"You feel guilty don't you?" he asked quietly. When I didn't answer, he said, "You do." It wasn't a question, it was a statement.

"How would you know?" I asked, rather forcefully.

He shrugged. "I just know."

"You don't know me," I retorted.

"Oh, but I do. You're different," he said, as if that were answer enough.

"Maybe I'm not as different as you think," I snapped.

Ted looked at me the unmistakable ghost of a smile playing on his lips as he stood from his seat.

"No, you _are_ different," he said, sounding almost as if he were trying to convince me as he gathered the books in his arms.

"How so?" I asked, not being able to keep the curiosity out of my voice as I followed him with my eyes, watching as he returned the books to their previous place.

"Well, you've never called me a Mudblood, for one," he said, finally smiling as he picked up his book bag. "See you around, Andy," he said, giving me a small wave, before walking a wave, leaving me to stare stupidly after him.

* * *

_**A/N: **__I'm feeling quite nervous about this chapter, and I'm real anxious to know what you guys thought. What do you guys think about Isabelle? Any thoughts? Am I making Andromeda too nice? Should I tone it down a bit? Am I moving too fast?_

___Anywho, now that my insecurities are out of the way, I believe I owe you lovely reviewers a big thank you:_

___**ChocolateIsKryptonite**: Ted is one of my favorite characters too! I just love him. And I agree! People should be more aware of how awesome Slytherins and Hufflepuffs are!_

___**RuterDam**: Because I want you to, that's why muahaha lol and that's just how I always imagined them: friends from the beginning, even if Andromeda tries to deny it at first_

___**Guest**: I have! One of my favorite books. I know, I suck for borrowing the beginning from it, but I couldn't resist_

___**Slytherin's Black Cat**: Aw, why thank you. I'm glad you think my story is promising. Means I'm doing something right :)_

___**Fire The Canon**: You naughty person you lol just kidding. I don't really mind if its similar..we both have our style :) Now I'm intrigued. I shall read all your stories then (I love Scorose anyway) :D just know, that if I don't update in a while it's all your fault lol_

___Again, thank you all for your lovely reviews!_


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